The Hunt for the Masters
by Cindrollic
Summary: A decade has passed and now Exile is back. Her power was stripped by the council, and she wants it back. And revenge. With Kreia's teachings, she will hunt these Jedi Masters to the far corners of the galaxy and strike them down without hesitation.
1. The Pasifist

The walkways were unkempt, just like everything else on Nar Shadaa, though in the long moths on the smuggler's moon, Exile had grown used to it. Anxiety threatened to consume her, but she forced it down as she passed another corner. Six months ago, she met an elderly woman named Kreia onboard a mining station called Peragus. It was there her life had taken new meaning. The woman Kreia opened her to the Force, a sensation not felt for over a decade, though would not say how she could or why. But as Exile soon discovered, it had its limits. Strange how one thinks they can go their whole life without the Force, but then cling to it like it was all that kept you alive. Then, Kreia offered another means of attaining power. Ten years ago, the Jedi Council had stripped her of her power after disobeying them and going off to war; but Kreia knew the secret of their curse. 'Each master controls a portion of the barrier that prevents you from using your power' she had said. 'But perhaps there's a way to persuade them to release that hold.' Though judging how it went with Atris on Telos, it might be easier said then done. But the old scowl never did like her, so maybe Zez-Kai Ell would be more willing. But she also met another person on Peragus. A hotshot pilot named Atton Rand. He boasted about his skills, though soon proved himself when they narrowly escaped. But he'd been acting odd lately, becoming quiet and keeping to himself. She made a mental note to figure out why.

A smell as foul as a Hutt's backside hit her like a hammer, and Exile knew she was at the docks. But she continued on, breathing out of her mouth and trying to make her strides longer. Around her, cargo and freelance ships were being docked or soaring away, with less-then-legitimate items in their holds. She stopped, and turned, walking into the rental spaces some sentients used as living quarters. The smell still hadn't deteriorated. And Exile knew it would stick to her dark robes for days.

She passed room after room, trying to ignore the beggars asking for any spare credits and heading down the last hallway, pausing at the door almost concealed inside the wall. Exile reached out with her sense, feeling inside the room. Someone was in there, that was for sure, but it was almost undetectable, like they were masked.

Thumbing the controls, the door slid open and she strode in, and there he was.

Zez-Kai Ell sat atop a cot in the corner of the small warehouse-like space, packed with shelves and stacked boxes around the entire room. His legs were crossed under him, with his head down and eyes closed. His s lip twitched when she stopped, ruffling his mustache.

Exile looked back at the door, making sure it remained open. It shut the second her eyes hit the doorway. That's when she began counting cards in her head, just as she Atton teach her. Ironically, she had no idea how to play Pazzak. When she turned her attention back to Zez-Kai Ell, she found he was already on his feet, standing in the middle of the other side of the room, wearing the same rags she'd seen every refuge sporting since she'd got there. But what drew her eye was the lack of a weapon.

"Welcome Exile," He said, unblinking. "This day has been long delayed."

She nodded. "It has, Master Kai Ell."

"But we are here now. So tell me, why have you seeked me out?"

She swallowed. How much should she say? "I have recently reestablished a connection to the Force," She admitted, deciding he would need to know the full story. "But I've reached my limits. Now I've learned of how you and the other masters cut me off from it, and I know you can undo your part at will." She stiffened. "That is why I have come."

"Have you found any of the others?"

"No." He didn't need to know _everything_. "Only you."

"And why should I do this?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I've changed." She stated, head inclining forward.

His head shook. "No, you haven't. You're the same swirling pool of anger I remember from the day we judged you. You appear calm, but I can sense the hate seething beneath. I have followed you, watching the acts of anger and selfishness you have made in the months since arriving on the smuggler's moon."

"Then I _can_ change!" she shot back, loosing it for a moment. "The galaxy needs every Jedi it can get. I mean, look at you!" Exile gestured at his appearance. "You're hardly doing _well_ for yourself!"

"Enough." He stopped her. "You're telling me that you think you can be redeemed and follow the Jedi way after all that has happened, so long as I yield you your power?" He shook his head again. "No. Your hunger for power has almost consumed you whole, telling both me and yourself lies in order to get what you desire. Giving you power would only end in disaster for the rest of the galaxy, Exile. I refuse."

The anger was beginning to rise to the surface, and she couldn't stop it. Her hand fell to her newly constructed lightsaber on her belt. "I urge you to reconsider." She warned behind grinding teeth.

He glanced down at her hand. "Is that the path you wish to take?" He asked, looking back up. "Very well." He closed his eyes and waited.

Exile only half believed it. Would he actually put his life at risk like this? Of course he would. He was a Jedi. But still, part of her wanted to do it, even if it achieved nothing. Her hand shook uncontrollably, rattling the hilt. Thinking of the past decade, of all she had gone through, the withdrawal of the Force, being forced to survive where others would have died, and the other dozens of things that left her life hectic, two options came into her mind: Forgiveness and revenge.

_Revenge._

She grabbed the hilt from her belt, activated the scarlet blade, and charged, saber raised like an axe. But out of the corner of her eye, something moved, near the bed, she thought, and when Exile slashed her lightsaber down, a purple blade was there to block it. Confused, she looked and saw the elongated lightsaber hilt hovered in the air, and she couldn't push the blade away.

Then, Zez-Kai Ell opened his eyes.

He reached out and no sooner did his hand touch the lightsaber was he twisting his body around, igniting the other end of his weapon and stabbing its tip into Exile's ribs. But before a scream could be produced, she was thrown back, crashing into pile of boxes behind her, spilling their contents onto the floor. Stars danced in front of Exile's eyes as she tried to work out what had just happened.

When she looked up, Zez-Kai Ell was standing in the exact same spot, only difference being the live lightsaber in his hand. She stood, fighting the urge to vomit. It was then Exile realized she had no lightsaber in her hand. She looked among the rubble and parts, searching for her weapon and finding it pushed against the door. But when she began to pull it back to her hand, Zez-Kai Ell stopped it and sent it flying away like a missile, slamming the hilt into the wall behind him hard enough to leave an indent.

She backed up as Zez-Kai Ell began to close in, stopping when her heel bumped the wall. The Jedi Master began to swing his saber above his head, making a bead of nervous sweat drop from her forehead. The jet-like sound of the lightsabers became almost hypnotic, Exile having to strain to not fall under their musical curse. _Exile_. . . A familiar voice called out to her.

"Kreia?" Exile asked aloud, pressing her back against the wall as her eyes stayed glued on Zez-Kai Ell.

_Pay close attention._ Her teacher told her. Zez_-Kai Ell is a pacifist by nature, but still a master of the blade. His style requires being close for combat._ Exile scanned the room. _You are fighting on his terms_, _Exile. But your knowledge of the planet can turn the tide to your favor._

"What's that mean?" She asked trying to keep herself from screaming as Zez-Kai Ell was mere steps from her.

_Release the power of the planet and focus it. _And Kreia was gone, cutting off their connection on her end. Leaving Exile seconds to ponder the words of the mentor she believed insane at times.

With little to loose, Exile slowed her breathing as quickly as she could and opened herself to Nar Shadaa, feeling the pain and agony just inside the docks and rental spaces. A sudden a surge came through her, unleashing itself in wave that surprised both her and Zez-Kai Ell, as he was thrown into the wall on the other end of the room, slumping down onto the ground, obliviously in a daze. She looked down at her hands, stunned of the feat she just achieved. Then closed her eyes and opened her senses again, spreading her reach to its limit and taking in all the anguish, despair, and depression of the planet's inhabitants, turning their pain into her strength. Her eyes opened to find bright sparks of blue lightning jumping from her fingertips. Her hands were quickly consumed by the sparks, showing only brief flashes of flesh beneath. She had just learned this power from Kreia, but was barely able to conjure a few sparks. Her hair felt like it was standing on end from her shoulders up, as her body burned from the intense energy flowing through it. But the pain was worth it.

Smiling widely, she let loose the searing power within, long bolts of lightning arcing across to Zez-Kai Ell.

To his credit, he recovered quickly when he needed to. The Jedi Master was on his feet activating his lightsaber by the time the lightning reached, attempting to fend it off with his weapon. But it was all for nothing. The lightning increased in both size and speed by the second, becoming a storm within the warehouse in seconds. All around Zez-Kai Ell lightning danced, grazing his body as a whole, leaving burns and holes in his clothes while he masterly kept his blade up and spinning. But Exile controlled the lightning more fully then she let on, and guided a singular bolt around the barrier of violet, pausing for a moment before sending it forward and into the back of Zez-Kai Ell's head, where his balding spot started.

His eyes shot open, and the saber stopped long enough for the storm to pierce through his defenses and consume him. A lifetime of Jedi relaxation and meditation techniques did nothing to stop his screams, with Exile surprised on how high his deep, soothing voice could go. Hastily, she severed the connection from the planets power and charged forward, arm outwardly extended.

Behind Kai Ell, her lightsaber floated from the floor and to her grasp, igniting the scarlet blade and sweeping it across a half-paralyzed Zez-Kai Ell's chest. The Jedi Master stayed upright for a moment, but let out a final gasp before collapsing to the floor.

This left Exile alone, standing with her arm still outstretched and lightsaber active. Her breathing became thinner, due to the heavy concentration of ozone in the warehouse, and the hum of her saber easily drowned it out. She finally shut down her weapon and let her arm fall to her side, leaving only the flickering sound of the failing light fixture above. Her heart pounded as the effects of her choice began to sink in.

But forgot about it when her head felt like it had been cracked open, then changed in an instant to be lighter then air. She fell to her knees and like in battle, tried to slow her breathing in order to focus her thoughts, and found a revelation of sorts. Every fiber of her being felt lighter, but stronger as she stared at her hand in wonderment, like an alien device. Exile turned and saw the nearest metallic wrack half filled with boxes against the wall across the room. She reached out and grasped it, and then waving her arm was surprised to see it fly to the other side, crashing into the door and almost tearing through it.

Again, she stared at her hand in awe, then smiled. "So, there's another way," She breathed. It was then, her plan changed slightly.

As she stood to leave, Exile felt something tap her foot. She looked down and saw Zez-Kai Ell's lightsaber laying at her feet, next his open palm. Squatting down, she picked it up and examined it for a moment, activating one of the blades to insure it still worked. Satisfied, she retracted the violet blade and clipped both her saber and the late Jedi Master's to her belt and strode off, the flame of determination burning strongly within her.


	2. The Warrior

On her way to Onderon, Exile encountered a small speed-bump; in the form of a squadron of Onderonian starfighters. They let loose on the _Ebon Hawk_ without warning. But after attacking other ships awaiting passage and creating a full scale battle zone, Exile and her crew were easily able to slip away unnoticed. Though that was only the start of their problems.

The small moon they had taken refuge on was Dxun, a place Exile wished to forget and leave in the past. By first glance, one saw a pleasant tree covered moon, though soon found out that was not the case. It was a wide-spread forest, covering the entire planet. And it never stopped raining, not once. But Exile saw opportunity, so secluded herself into the forest, loosing herself more quickly then imaginable. Here, she focused and trained in the most primitive of ways. The Force became more then just a tool, but a means of survival, with the elements and wildlife kept her at her best, while also pushing her to her limits. She remained out of contact with the _Ebon Hawk_, though kept the bond between she and Kreia open as she learned new techniques every day, both the Force and lightsaber.

But before leaving, Atton had told her of his past, a subject she had been pestering him about since leaving Nar Shadaa. Apparently he was an assassin in Revan's grand army, specially trained to eliminate Force-users. But after a woman opened his eyes to the Force, he left, fleeing from world to world for years until finally staying at Peragus. At first she was furious, though soon saw light. Exile re-opened him to the Force, teaching him how to convert pain into power and, using the late Zez-Kai Ell's weapon as a blueprint, crafted him a lightsaber. Then left, telling him to strive and learn on his own.

And three weeks later, a Mandalorian found her.

She killed him, of course, but as days soon turned to weeks, more came searching, and eventually she found herself out gunned and outnumbered.

A prisoner in chains, they took her to their base, where she was met by the leader of them all, Mandalore. Exile offered her services, hoping in exchange for transport nimble enough to slip past the blockade unnoticed, a feat the _Ebon Hawk_ was unable to do. But in the months she stayed, doing chores like repairs, lifting supply crates with the Force, and the other dozens of duties everyone did, she watched how they operated, and how they fought. At night, instead of sleep, she would practice a hand-to-hand or melee technique she saw hours before, perfecting her form until the morning bell rung. Then they finally announced her worthy, and Mandalore himself took her to Onderon.

When she arrived, the city of Izis was under siege, wars raining in the streets. And after cutting through enough people with her blade, Exile was approached by general Valku. At first she resisted his offers, but after his proposal of giving her Kavar, she quickly, though reluctantly, joined him, storming the royal palace and getting inside within minutes.

She was at the front of every wave, running through as many guardsmen and soldiers with her saber as she could. But during the plundering of the east wing, they came across the royal museum, filled with relics from the Sith War and beyond. Exile found herself new clothes, as hers had grown worn, stained, and covered in tares and rips. It was a set of deep black battle-armor, sticking to her frame like a second skin. It was flexible, for the most part, except for the breastplate, made from the strangest metal she had seen. Energy was absorbed like a sponge, though if she grabbed it with her hand, it felt like fine crystal. In its center was a hole made for a specific item, a medallion, she thought, though none of the ones in the museum fit correctly. It even had a cloak attached to the shoulders.

Two doors parted and Exile strode into the throne room, taking a moment to admire it. The high ceilings were shrouded in shadows, with only four wide pillars holding it up. And besides a couple of thrones on the other end of the room, there was nothing but space. A good battle zone, she thought to herself. All around were soldiers from both sides, confronting one another. The room echoed with the ring of steel blades and stung with the odor of blaster fire.

She never broke stride, but when a red bolt of energy passed close to her head, she reached out to each soldier. The battle stopped instantly as soldiers on both sides discarded their weapons and clawed at the hands that grasped their throats. None succeeded. Their faces turned a bright shade of violet as they fell to their knees, and let out a final gasp of breath in unison. Exile released her hold on them, and they slumped to the floor at her feet.

Leaving her alone with the queen.

She stood in front of her throne, her robe-like dress flowing in an unseen breeze. Tallia's face was obscured by her hood; Though Exile would see flashes of her soft skin. The Ex-Jedi stopped and half turned her head back toward the door. "It's clear." she called out, just loud enough to hear.

Behind her, Valku walked through the open door and kept his eyes on Tallia. His usually clean uniform was stained with a series of scars from battle. When he got close enough, Exile could smell the stench of smoke on his clothes. Valku broke contact with Tallia for a moment and looked over at Exile, a small smile on his face. "Beautiful work, my dear." he complimented, touching her shoulder for a second before heading back toward Tallia. She wanted to tell him to not touch her, but held her tongue.

As he got closer, Tallia bent down and picked up a long, elegant double-bladed sword down at her feet, then marched down the short stairs to meet her treacherous cousin.

"Come to reason, Tallia." Valku said, stopping several feet in front of her and drawing his sword from its holster strapped to his back. "Your soldiers are defeated. Your civilians cower in the streets as buildings burn around them. And your fortress has fallen. Do not force me to kill you as well."

"Their blood is on _your_ hands, Valku, not mine." Tallia shot back.

He began shaking his head. "Tallia, Tallia, change can be a painful process. But only when you refuse to allow it to happen, dose chaoses like this ensue." Valku looked her in the eye. "The galaxy needs changing, Tallia. Step aside and let it happen so lives of the innocent can be saved."

She hesitated before answering. "No, I won't. I will not serve in your twisted vision of the future, Valku."

Valku smiled, and then held his sword out in front of him in a two-handed grip. "Very well. You leave me no choice."

Tallia readied her own weapon and the two cousins began circling one another, slowly closing the gap between them. It was no surprise that Valku struck first, attempting to drive his blade into her head, but a simple side-step and she evaded it completely. Watching them battle, it was clear to Exile that Tallia was the senior of the two. Her fighting style mirrored her personality, elegant, dangerous, and so well employed that one would think she had rehearsed this fight her entire life.

With a sideswipe, she easily disarmed him of his sword. Then stepped forward and drove the elongated hilt into his forehead, knocking him to the floor and cracking the hilt down the middle. From what Exile could tell, it wasn't made of wood.

The queen stood atop Valku, and stopped him from getting his sword back, knocking the weapon several feet away with her own. Then raised the sword up above her head, pause, and struck it down toward her cousin. Only to have it stop mid-air.

Confused, Valku looked back and saw Exile leaning against a support, having two fingers extended toward them, not even looking at them. He smiled, and then reached for his sword well out of his grasp and with a little push from Exile, the weapon slid into his hand. Valku did not hesitate. He plunged the blade into Tallia's upper stomach, just under her breasts.

She did not scream, she did not cry, as trails of blood ran down her cousin's blade and to the hilt, staining his gloves in red. He savored the moment, but eventually pulled the sword out and rolled away, allowing Tallia to collapse in his spot. A puddle of red began forming under her.

As a smile crept into the corners of her mouth, a deafening scream came out of nowhere, the sound bouncing off the walls and lingering longer then should have. Exile turned, but only saw a blur blow past her, blowing her ponytail up into her face. Another scream was let loose, though far smaller and weaker then the first. She got her hair out of her eyes to find Valku slamming into the wall on the other end of the throne room and crashing onto the floor and out of her sight. A person sat next to Tallia, cradling her body in their arms. The tails of the cloak that hid them lied in the puddle.

Exile divided her attention between the two, seeing both Valku slowly got to his feet, obviously with a broken leg and even holding his side and the hooded stranger close Tallia's eyes and lay her back down. When he stood though, she knew exactly who it was.

Kavar looked the same as he did all those years ago, minus the few wrinkles on his forehead. His eyes looked down at the queen in grief, an emotion she hadn't seen since she came to him and confessed her love, only to have him shoot her down, saying it was against the code. His clothing had seen better days, covered from head-to-toe in small rips, holes with burnt cloth around their rims, and other rewards of combat. His tunic was relatively protected by a chest plate, though it was riddled with blaster shots. Two lightsabers hung on his belt.

A groan came from the other end of the throne room, bringing both her and Kavar's attention to it. Valku was limping his way from one stone beam to the one closest to the door. Exile didn't need the Force to feel the swelling hatred within Kavar, and didn't even think he would release it as he did. Kavar was charging at him before she could blink, lightsabers already in hand and being thumbed to life.

Hastily, Exile pulled her own saber off her belt and activated the scarlet blade as Kavar was almost to Valku. She reached out and grasped the Jedi Master with her mind and pulled him back, too much actually.

He spun himself around in time to cross his two blades into an X, attempting to decapitate his adversary. But she got her saber in the center on the X and stopped them.

"Remember me?" she asked over their crackling blades.

When his feet touched the floor, she drove her knee into his stomach, just below the chest plate, and used this stunned moment to push him away, watching as his lightsabers fell from his grasp. Exile turned and found Valku not half way from the pillar to the door. "Pick up your _shebs_ and move it!" she shouted, eliciting not much of a reaction.

She turned in an instant at the sound of two lightsaber coming to life. Kavar was already coming at her, sabers raised upright. Exile tried to push him again, but he simply shrugged it off, like a bug on his shoulder.

When he reached her, she had no choice but to fight. Kavar's blades whipped around her in a blur, consuming her vision as she tried to fend him off. Unfortunately, she did not account for him using his body as a weapon. He batted her blade away and threw himself up and forward, driving his knee into her face and

landing behind her before she hit the floor, then proceeded toward Valku.

The former Jedi fought the headache forming in her head, converting her pain into power. She reached out and used the Force to trip up Kavar just before he reached Valku, then tossed him across the room and away from the dictator, slamming him into the farthest pillar.

Exile back flipped herself onto her feet, re-igniting her lightsaber and moving to the center of the room to put herself between Valku and her former love.

Again, Kavar was up fast, activating his own weapons. Feeling the sweat in her palms, Exile supported her saber with a two-handed grip, and then did watch she prayed not to do again. She reached out to Kreia.

_What do you want to hear?_ Her teacher asked through their bond. _What style he is employing and its weakness? I tell you this, Exile; there is no weakness, for there is no style. Kavar fights in grief, in anger, as such his mind is clouded from his own knowledge_

"What dose that mean?" she murmured

_It means you are on your own._ And Kreia was gone.

Exile swallowed hard. Kavar's eyes were like daggers, plunging themselves into her soul. She shrugged off the feeling of despair creeping into her mind and focused. But the Jedi Master ran at her, scattering her thoughts before they could. She took an involuntary step back and saw Kavar for what he was at this point; an unstoppable force. But right now, she needed to at least slow him down.

When he was close enough, she dropped, whipping both her leg and lightsaber around. If she couldn't trip him, she would cut him. But Kavar leapt clear of Exile's attempt, continuing past her toward Valku, now getting into the doorway.

There was no chance of reaching Kavar before he killed him, so with little choice at hand, Exile opened herself to the Dark side and allowed it to consume her. She was a black blur as she leapt, stopping short of the ceiling and released her lightsaber. Using the Force, she guided not only her saber, but also queen Tallia's and Valku's swords in grinding through the tops of the pillars. One by one, they broke through stone, while Exile kept tabs on Kavar. He was almost to the door, closer then she liked. So doubled the speed of the blades. When they struck through the last, she called her lightsaber back and unleashed a wave of energy that shook the beams out of their place. Then sent herself soaring toward the door.

Cushioned by the Force, Exile crashed through the doorway just in front of Kavar and cut herself from the Dark side, fearing of its after-effects if used for a prolonged time. The Jedi Master was almost through the doorway, his face telling her that he would not hold back.

So with the last bit of energy she had, Exile pushed Kavar away. She saw two things happen as darkness formed around her vision; Kavar slumped over the throne on the other side of the room, and stone debris falling followed by a large diagonal piece of broken off stone sliding into the doorway. Then she was gone.

When Exile awoke, it was sunset. She found Valku in front of his men, preaching about 'how this day would forever be remembered' and all that garbage. Then, a man holding a mechanical leg ran up to Valku, saying he would need it in order to walk again. Without pause, the newly crowned king told the good doctor he could shove the prosthetic where the light dare not shined. The men laughed and the doctor walked away.

They now stood just beyond the entrance to the palace, Valku staring at his city from where a portion of the wall had been with Exile behind him, almost half asleep.

"At last, it's mine." She heard him whisper to himself.

Behind them, a man who couldn't have been more then twenty and holding a datapad approached, the device shaking in his unstable hands. "My king," Exile could hear the uneasiness in the lads' voice when saying the title. Perhaps he was rooting for Tallia. "We have encountered a dilemma."

Valku turned, eyebrow twitching in annoyance as he did. "Life is a series of dilemma's, boy."

He nodded, not looking Valku in the eye. "Understood sir. But this is one I believe you should hear."

"Very well." The king conceded. He held out his hand, and the young man placed the datapad in his grasp as gently as he could.

"We only found the queen's body in the throne room." The boy said before Valku could eve turn the device on. The statement alone made Exile fully awake.

"What do you mean?" She asked, trying to not let herself slip.

He shrugged. "There's just nobody else under that rumble. We found a little blood that didn't belong to the queen, but that was it."

"It apparently gets worse," Valku stated, looking down at the datapad.

The young man nodded. "A lone fighter was able to break through the blockade and jump to hyperspace before we could track it." He informed.

Exile's blood boiled in her vanes. She reached out, hoping to find no trace of Kavar. But still felt him faintly, a flickering light in the galaxy. Her teeth gritted against each other as anger found its way to the surface, with no way to release it.

So she unhooked her lightsaber and struck down the messenger.

The body wasn't on the ground before she was walking away, heading for the long walkway that leads down to the city itself. She heard Valku oppose to her actions, but she ignored him. Passing by the largest area on the walkway and side-stepping in-between two large craters and her mind began to roam. The first question was how did Kavar survive, but she forced it away. The _true_ question was where was he going?

He was probably injured, possibly fatal. And in this day and age, few would help a Jedi. So where would, no, _could_ go?

_Simple. Where dose the wounded Kath Hound run to first?_ Kreia's voice asked, though not sure if it was through their bond or not.

Exile smiled, and answered the question aloud. "He would go home."


	3. The Grouch

After weeks in hyperspace and months on Dantooine, Exile had indeed found a Jedi. But not the one she wanted. She first encountered Vrook in the ruins of the Jedi Enclave, her old home, finding him in the archives room killing mercenaries. He pushed them out the room, shut the door and carved himself a new exit through the wall. And while in Exile's old home, she and Atton found a young man, who, though he refused to give his name, offered to aid them in their quest. They both chuckled, and then left him in the sublevels, using the Force to guide a pack of Lagriegs in his direction.

The second was after following a loose trail and discovering him in a cage in the Crystal Caves. Though this time, he did not have his lightsaber. But still, he stopped her, encasing her in stasis long enough to escape. When she departed, Exile was approached by the leader of the mercenary group, Azkul. And, like Valku, when he offered her a true chance to kill Vrook, she did not hesitate.

Exile lead Azkul, his second-in-command Dopak, and a small group of the closest thing to 'soldiers' down the back of Khoonda's administration building, all crawling as low as they could be, except of course for Exile, who always made her presence known. She stopped upon reaching a shut door, and, without paying heed to the controls, pulled her lightsaber from her belt and activated the scarlet blade, plunging it into the steel and slowly carving a large oval into it.

Once finished, she kicked it in, hearing it crash loudly on the other side. But before she could, Azkul ducked through the hole, being careful not to touch the glowing edges. Slowly, but surely, they all got inside, Dopak even letting Exile go ahead of him.

The halls were drowned in flashing red lights and siren's screaming in their ears. The doors were all shut tight, though they could blast through if needed. Azkul stood in the center of the hallway, arms raised like a god and taking it all in. But soon remembered where he was and stopped.

"It's ours for the taking, men." Azkul said, turning his head back to them. Then began to walk forward. "Now, we'll set up position here and here-" He was cut off by the scarlet blade that ignited through his chest, feeling the intense heat radiate within his gut, only to be replaced with tingling numbness. He let out a final gasp before collapsing.

Behind him, Exile reached her arm out and called her saber back, shutting down when it slapped into her palm.

"No, Azkul, it's _mine_ for the taking." She said to the corpse. Exile turned and found more shocked expression then she thought, except one. Dopak's face gave nothing away, though Exile could feel the fear churning beneath the surface. She gave him the best smile she could. "Everyone has a destiny, Dopak. Azkul was just too blind from ambition to see his had come to a close."

He swallowed, and then nodded. She felt the fear subside somewhat.

Exile strode forward, using the Force to slide Azkul's body against the wall and out of the way of her men. Reaching the end, she turned and saw their goal within reach. It was a longer hallway then the one they entered from, and the lights seem to flash both brighter and more constant then anywhere else. The only doors were in the middle of it, knowing the one on the right was where the administrator was locked up.

She flicked her two fingers down the hallway in a silent order. Her men followed as she led. But after only getting a few steps, did a squad of Khoonda militia come barreling from the other end of the hallway, with Vrook in the front of them all.

The two squads stopped in unison with their leader. The two shot daggers across the hall with their eyes alone. Exile could see the unbridled anger in the older man's face, almost locked in a scowl. It only made her smile grow that much bigger.

Vrook ignited his emerald lightsaber and waved it forward like a flag. "Take them down!!" He ordered, and then charged.

Exile activated her own weapon. "Leave none alive!!" She hissed, and then went to meet her opponent.

She didn't have to wait long. The two collided in front of the thick reinforced door in the center of the hallway. Green plasma clashed against red as they traded blow for blow, neither giving ground. Blaster bolts zinged over their heads and around their body's in constant streams, invoking Exile to use more acrobatic and quicker hand-to-hand moves in conjunction with her lightsaber as she taught herself on Dxun. But it was for nothing. Vrook countered every one of them, throwing her off-balance and putting her in the path of the blaster bolts more then once. His style was angry and aggressive, much like his personality. When he could hit her physically, he would, hard. And just when the tides were beginning to turn in his favor, a voice called out to her.

_Exile. . . _Kreia's lingering voice said. _You have not learned the lesson of Nar Shadaa. Again, you fight on their terms, not your own._ She would have retorted, but had to duck a decapitating strike instead. _Vrook employs the forth form, Ataru, designed for one-on-one battle. _

"Then what are its weaknesses?" Exile asked aloud, just as her lightsaber was torn from her grip and thrown to the other end of the hallway. Then dropped her to the floor with well-timed kick.

_Blaster bolts._ Kreia simply stated, then was gone.

Vrook threw himself down at her, plunging his green blade into the spot Exile was not a heartbeat ago. After stopping from her desperate roll, Exile found the situation had only grown worse. She was weaponless, staring at her enemy just centimeters from her, and laying on her right arm. The Jedi Master was pulling his weapon free of the floor when Exile remembered her last-ditch technique.

She began to conjure small sparks of Force-Lightning in her hand, but stopped when a bolt a pure red energy shot into Vrook's neck. As he went down like a barrel of bricks, Exile looking up and seeing Dopak standing just past the door, his blasters raised and smoke still pouring out of one of the barrels. He met her gaze as she got to her feet, and Exile realized that the firefight had ended with a pile of militia bodies behind her. Words were not needed. She simply gave a short, approving nod. Which he returned.

At his side, a man wearing dark safety goggles and a hat pounded away at his datapad, connected to the controls of the main door via a few wires. And with a rather cheerful bleep from his device, not only did the door slide open but the sirens stopped and the lighting resumed its normal setting. Pocketing one of the blasters and keeping the other level, Dopak walked into the office. Exile heard two things: A discharged blaster shot, and a woman's dying shriek. And then returned her attention to Vrook.

He wasn't faring well. The elderly Jedi Master was on the floor, sprawling as he clutched the dark spot on his neck and gasped for air. She did a quick scan of the hallway and found no sign of her lightsaber. But instead, found Vrook's next to his legs.

Bending down, she picked up the weapon and looked him in the eye, just as she pushed the weapon's emitter against his chest. "Goodbye, Vrook." Exile said grimly. Then pushed the activator switch.

He didn't scream, though his eyes almost bulged out from their sockets. Vrook's teeth grinded so hard against each other that Exile thought they would turn to dust, but it was over in seconds. His body sprawled against the floor altogether, turning enough to get himself onto his back before he was gone.

Exile closed down the lightsaber as Dopak came through the doorway behind her, dragging the administrators' body behind him. When he threw her atop Vrook, Exile saw an almost serine calm on both their faces, seeing past the blast hole in her forehead. It was almost lover-like. Pathetic woman, Exile thought, Jedi cannot love. They can only hurt.

She took one last look at them, then turned and began to leave. But when she reached the entranceway to the main area, Exile saw a shadow at her feet, moving when she did and stopping in synch. She didn't need to reach out to know it was Dopak. Turning around, Exile found him standing almost right behind her, a few centimeters separating them. His left arm was shaking ever so slightly, and a large black blaster shot in his forearm. She could even see some blood_. It isn't always cauterized. ._ .

"The day is ours." Exile stated, smiling. She knew, strangely enough, that Dantooine was a center point of this sector. There was no telling what was going to happen now. She glanced down at his arm, then turned and began to leave. "Get that arm checked out." She ordered, not turning back.

Everyone was in the _Ebon Hawk's_ main hold, some sitting and some standing. All except the Miralukan assassin, Visas Marr. At first, Exile wanted her dead, but Atton convinced her to let her live, claiming she would be of greater use alive rather then dead. She caught them training together more then once, due to her refusal of teaching the two. But suspected that more was going on.

"Get comfortable, we're staying grounded until Kavar shows himself." Exile informed as she strode across the room toward her quarters.

"No." Kreia simply said, stopping Exile in her tracks. She turned and stared at the elderly woman sitting on the cold floor with her legs crossed, head stooped down.

"Why not?" Exile asked irritably.

"There are trials you must undergo before you're ready." She informed, saying it more to everyone then just Exile.

Perhaps it was the after-effects of combat, maybe it was the exhaustion of staying up into the earliest mornings for a week straight. But right now she just didn't care. "Fine." She conceded and walked down the hallway to her quarters, shutting the door after just getting inside. Leaving everyone by themselves in the main hold.

"Well," Atton groaned, pushing away from the wall. "Anyone mind telling the pilot where these trials are?"

The corners of Kreia's mouth lifted slightly. "Korriban."


	4. The Lost One

While on the desolate world of Korriban, Exile felt like a king among peasants. The planet oozed of the Dark Side, and her lacking power felt almost complete in this environment. While in the old Academy, she struck down every strange, black clad soldier that attacked her as if they were nothing, like air, which compared to her, they were. Then she met Sion. It was even for a while, but the walking corpse simply wouldn't die. Leaving her with only one option: Escape. An hour later, she found the entrance to the caves, and another hour of battling through Tu'kata hounds and other beasts, found the tomb.

But in her mind, she knew that it was all fake; visions of her past trying to kill her, long-dead generals asking for orders, and other inner battles that would have made another's stomach churn. But Exile had severed herself from all that years ago. She plowed through them all, eventually reaching the end of the maze, only to find Darth Revan himself. The battle was easy enough, though when he drove his saber through her shoulder, and though the mark dissipated, the pain did not. She pushed it out of her mind, and continued on.

In the academy, Exile had found a datapad, supposedly belonging to a Twilek Padawan who claimed Lonna Vash still lived. And a datachip she plucked off one of the dead assassins only confirmed it.

Peering past a corner, Exile saw no threat and strode down a short hallway hill, reaching the large stone door at its end. The door rose up into the ceiling before she could sneeze, eliciting a small reaction that she quickly covered up. She was revealed to a large dome-like chamber. A few baskets sat in a corner of the room, next to a fold-out cot. But other then that, it was empty. Besides the cloaked person sitting in the middle of the room.

When she stood, Exile saw that the years had not been kind to Lonna Vash. Her skin was pale, with wrinkles in around her eyes and on her forehead. Her robes were stained, dirty, and torn. It looked as though good sleep was a treat that rarely came to her. Living in a cave dose that to you. . . She thought to herself with a smirk. Exile took three steps in and stopped.

"Exile?" Vash said, burying her shock farther then Exile could reach. "I assume you've been the one triggering this tombs illusion power again?" She nodded. And Vash closed her eyes. "And I assume you killed Kaah in order to find me." _That_ she didn't do. The Twilek was already dead when she found him.

Vash sighed. "Very well." She breathed, reaching into the folds of her robes. "Then it is my duty to end your quest before it goes any further." She pulled a cylinder out, and a bright, silvery blade jumped out. Exile smiled. Then grabbed her own weapon from her belt and activated its scarlet blade.

The Jedi Master struck first, hurling a wave of Force-energy at Exile that she deflected easily enough, though realized it was only a distraction so Vash could leap and strike from high up. She got her blade up in time to stop her from taking her head. Then tossed her forward, Vash landing once again in the center of the chamber as Exile dropped herself into a melee fighting stance she learned from the Mandalorians.

Their sabers combined hum echoed off the walls, making Exile's teeth shake inside her mouth. She charged forward, hacking her blade at Vash. Now, unlike past fights, Exile couldn't call out to Kreia for help, the old woman's excuse being 'unable to focus her thoughts' while on Korriban, so she had to pay close attention for herself. But as they fought from all corners of the chamber, Exile noticed little changes in Vash's footing, grip, and other nuances of combat. It hit her like a blow to the head. Every Master Exile had encountered before had proficiency with a single form. But Vash it seemed was a different story.

To the naked eye, it would be nothing more then a few mistakes, just sloppy footwork. But Jedi

Masters didn't make sloppy mistakes, not that many. And as she went from defensive to offensive, her graceful, almost elegant parries were replaced with hard swings and aggressive strikes, Exile knew that she was not a master of a singular form, but a participator of all.

Exile had to rethink her strategy. And came up empty quick.

She ducked down, narrowly avoiding a decapitating arc that took the end of her pony-tail off instead of her head. "Enough of this," she murmured. Like on Onderon, Exile opened herself to the Dark Side, finding it astoundingly easier then before. Time around her slowed drastically, stopping altogether. Still crouched down, she seized the moment and swung her lightsaber forward, slicing the scarlet blade through the Jedi Master's shins.

Time resumed at its normal pace, and Vash's scream echoed throughout the chamber.

Exile reached out and threw the crippled woman, like a child would a toy, slamming her into the doorway from which she entered. Vash's lightsaber hit the ground where it fell from her grasp, rolling toward Exile before stopping. Ignoring Vash's moaning and groans Exile extended her reach to the door in the ceiling. In her mind, she could see the logistics of how it operated, and how to bring it down. She used the Force to crush the safety's holding it, causing it to come crashing down from the ceiling and end Vash's pain.

Another barrier holding her powers back had fallen.

Breathing heavily from her sudden use of the Force, Exile grinned. Then bent down and grabbed Vash's lightsaber off the ground, hanging it next to the other trophies on her belt. And with a final glance at the door, Exile grabbed her comnlink, wired to get a signal even from here, brought the device to her mouth and ordered; "Be ready for pickup." Then strode off.


	5. The Rematch To Remember

No sooner did Exile's feet touch the metallic floor of the _Ebon Hawk_, did HK-47, the combat droid they just finished repairing days ago, report that a message came from Dopak, saying that his men had spotted a shadowy figure stalking around the ruins of the Enclave. And when he dispatched a small squad of men, they never returned. Then decided to hold off and wait for her orders. She knew she put Dopak in charge for good reasons.

After a week in hyperspace, they were there.

Dark clouds covered the sky as far as the eye could see, as Exile and her small entourage strode across the grass lands, drawing ever closer to the Enclave. She could even see the very tip of the structure as they reached the top of a hill, causing her heart to race a little. A few minutes later, they were at the final stretch. The only thing now standing in their way being a small group of mercenaries.

Some wore armor, though most only had a blaster rifle at their side as the pillaged anything of value from the overtaken scavenger's camp. Upon closer viewing, Exile could tell most were human, though there were other species thrown into the mix. They all dropped what they were doing when she approached, slowly but surely surrounding them.

"Where do you think you're going?" A gruff voice asked within the crowd.

Exile began to scan the area. "The Enclave." She answered, barely paying attention as she stalled. She didn't need to wait long.

The crowd began to part, and to Exile's mild surprise, a woman emerged from the gap. She had a face hard enough to cut diamond, with a number of small scars on her cheeks, lips, and forehead. Unlike most the others, she had a full set of armor, comprised of a melody of colors. It seemed that two pieces didn't match on her whole costume. A helmet was under one arm, with a slug-thrower in the other. When she spoke, it was like a normal voice once existed, but was replaced now by sand paper rubbed against stone.

"There's a toll, girlie." She stated, her blaster arm inclining forward.

Exile cocked an eyebrow. "Where would I keep it?" She asked, gesturing at her battle-suite. She tried to pierce through into her mind, to manipulate and control it. But whoever this woman was, or her mind state, it wasn't working.

"Well, we'll find out now, won't we?" As they began to move in on them, Exile raised a hand to stop them.

"Counter-offer," Exile interjected, glancing around to make sure they all stopped.

"Counter offer?" The woman repeated wryly. Though kept her weapon ready to draw.

Exile nodded. "I don't have anything on me. But I do have a ship and crew."

Now the woman's eyebrow arched up. "Go on."

"It's yours. Do with them what you will; sell them, use them, whatever. They're all in top condition. But under two conditions: one, you can beat my friends," She nodded her head back toward Atton and Visas. "And two," She stepped forward, putting her nose-to-nose to the warrior woman. "You let me through."

For the longest time, she didn't answer. Either woman barely blinked, looking the other dead in the eye. But finally, the other conceded with a nod, then side-stepped to let her pass. Once Exile was free of the group, she heard the sound of lightsabers coming to life and blaster shots being fired. Seconds later, the shots reduced, replaced with screams.

Turning the corner, her old home came into view.

Nothing had really changed, though it looked like some of the holes had expanded further out. She had only come here one time before her quest began. It was just a few years after her power was taken. And the sight of her childhood home in ruin made tears stream from her eyes. And though her feelings about the place had changed drastically, she still could not get herself to smile about it.

But forced it out of her mind and continued on. As she walked down the halls, overrun with weeds and other flora, the memories came flooding back. Especially when she stepped into the open area where a woshyr tree she helped plant had now over-grown, to where it towered past the large open ceiling. The most painful memory being when she was a teenager, and received her first kiss from a cargo loader's son, only to find him a month later with another girl, and claimed to never have seen her. She bit her lip to get the memory out of her head and strode away, reaching the council chamber in seconds.

Like the halls, plants were slowly taking over, Exile even noticing the vines pinned to the walls and slung over the large hole in the ceiling that exposed them to the elements. Gathered in a circle were five seats, though were obviously eroding with their edges and color fading away. And in the center of the circle, he sat with his legs crossed and head bowed down.

Kavar stood slowly, turning toward her and revealing himself fully. The robes were worse for wear, but the cloak looked new. His usually handsome, strong featured face was now obscured by a long, jagged scar traveling from his right temple to past his left cheek. His cold, blue eyes gave nothing away. _So you didn't get out unscathed, Kavar? Good._

"Hello, Kavar," Exile greeted, a grin forming on her mouth. "You're a hard man to track."

The man began to pace to the side. "Why have you done this?" He demanded, keeping his voice cold and even.

Really? "Why?" She spat out, following him step for step. "Because of what you _did_ to me! You and all the Jedi Council!"

"I admit, what we did was wrong, but what you're doing is far worse."

"No, Kavar," She shot back. "What I'm doing, is _justice_."

"And you think that simple statement atones for all your crimes?" He shook his head. "No. Weather it's the Dark Side, or truly you, your mind shifts its perception around, twisting and manipulating your point of view until not even you can tell what the truth is anymore."

"You don't get to patronize me anymore!!" She growled, gritting her teeth and clenching her hands into tight fists. No sooner did the words leave her mouth, did a burst of bright yellow come flashing throughout the chamber, followed by booming thunder.

The two looked up at the dark clouds through the large hole, just as sprinkles of rain water began to pour down, Exile just out of its reach. The hot hate in her gut from the little outburst subsided with a slow breath,

and meeting Kavar's gaze as rain came down around him, she grinned.

"The storm has arrived, Kavar."

Both reached down and snatched their lightsabers from their belts, the blades flaring to life. Exile hesitated, watching as droplets fell onto Kavar's sabers, invoking a small spark and sizzle with each drop. Then charged, saber raised.

Exile knew that she did not have the advantage of last time. Whatever grief Kavar had, he had come to terms with it long ago. His strikes were clean and passive, with only a small hint of aggression to them. But as she was driven on the defense, Exile had a sudden epiphany of sorts. She was battling quite possibly the greatest living swordsmen left in the galaxy, and she had very little official training in the art of the lightsaber. She was a good enough duelist, but Kreia was not a swordsman, so whatever Exile knew, she learned on her own. And soon realized that if she stayed under these conditions, she wouldn't last long.

So instead took to back-stepping and flipping away from him, stopping when she reached the chairs. With a few flicks of her saber, and small pushes with the Force, Exile turned the seats into small projectiles, their edges still glowing from the heat.

But Kavar batted them away with his two blades like they were nothing. Exile leapt clear of him once the last chair fell, landing close to where she was when the battle began.

She turned and saw Kavar charging. She threw a ball of Force-energy at him, but like on Onderon, he simply shrugged it off, though his cloak was ripped at its ends upon its impact. Then retaliated with a Force push himself. Exile was sent flying back, landing on the pavement just past the doorway and in the open woshyr area, though flipped herself back to her feet just before Kavar reached her.

The former Jedi was forced to leap backwards in order to avoid certain death, sticking herself to her tree high enough to touch the ceiling. For the moment, she considered herself safe. Image her surprise when she saw Kavar throw his sabers through the base of the tree and return them to his hands in a single gesture.

It came crashing down, and Exile could barely hang on, only letting go in time to duck and roll into a passage below, which was uphill. All around her the hallway shook, as splinters, both large and small, scattered all around, and soon she was in darkness and leaving her with only her weapon as a source of light. She glanced back and the tree had apparently broken off half-way, clogging the entrance with its mass. Light shined through of few of the cracks.

Knowing time was of the essence, Exile charged up the hallway, turning once and finding she had put herself at a dead-end.

Her heart began to race in panic. Besides three personal living quarters, all on the left side of the hall, there was nothing. Behind her, a spinning saw-like noise echoed throughout, cutting through the wood. Exile knew her remaining time would be short.

She dived hastily into the nearest room and pushed herself against the corner behind its half-opened door, snapping her eyes shut and attempting to shrink her presence in the Force. Sweat perpetrated from her forehead as her breathing slowed, and Exile hadn't paid heed the lack of sound, until seconds later. She opened one eye slowly, only to almost have it be taken away from a short blue lightsaber blade that stabbed into the wall next to her.

Exile threw herself over it, narrowly missing the second blade as it slashed upward through the wall, and landed outside the doorway. She didn't bother to look back as she ran down the hall, knowing Kavar was right on her tail. Reaching the end, she whipped around and let loose a flurry of violet lightning bolts from her fingertips.

The Jedi Master was further from her then she first thought. He outstretched his left arm, holding his regular lightsaber and let go of it. The weapon spun in the palm of Kavar's hand, conducting the lightning like it was a shield. Then grasped his sword and leapt at her.

She didn't have but a split-second before he would be on her. Exile reached out and blew a hole through the wall to her left, and dived in, hearing two sabers plunge into the ground the moment her feet left floor.

Again, she did not look back, only moved on. The ground itself felt weak under her, like each step would be a step closer to falling through. Passing a large gap in the front of the Enclave, Exile saw that she wouldn't be able to wedge through a small hole in the collapsed hallway ahead. A second set of steps occurred from behind, so Exile stopped, spun around and barely got her weapon up to block Kavar's backhand strike.

There was nowhere to run. The two gave it all they had, becoming glowing blue and scarlet blurs with a couple of shadowy figures behind them. But it wasn't enough. Though Exile knew she was superior when it came to her command the Force, but this was a matter of combat and dueling, two feats she knew she lacked in, in this situation. There was truly few choices left if she wanted to live.

So Exile opened herself to the Dark Side, feeding the gnawing hate within and allowing it to consume her body. It wasn't like last time, when time stopped altogether, where as here it only slowed. But it was enough for her. She arched her arm forward and cut through his left wrist with her blade, following closely with slashing the sabers tip across his chest.

Then, time resumed.

Something slammed into her, and Exile was thrown through the gap and into the downpour outside, catching herself on the concrete just before the small bridge entrance. She looked up at the hole and saw Kavar on his knee's, clutching his stump arm, screaming.

She reached out with her senses, expanding them around the building. In her mind's eye, Exile combed through her old home, grasping anything solid that held the up the walls and ceilings, finishing her search in seconds.

"I can't believe I loved you." Exile hissed softly. And closing her hands into fists, she grinded the supports into dust.

The whole planet could have been shaking for all she knew. But still, Exile refused to budge from her spot, or even blink. The building in front of her rumbled ferociously, drowning out Kavar's screams indefinitely, until it finally came crumbling down in an indistinguishable, almost deafening roar.

Minutes later, the dust settled and Exile could see both with her eyes and in the Force that Kavar would not be getting up from this one. Breathing heavily, she took one step forward, and collapsed.

When she came to, the rain had stopped, through the clouds remained. Around her, the ground was still wet, and Exile had chills going through her body, strangely enough. Her suite protected her from any such conditions, even from the weather, but still she was cold to her core. Exile's energy was sapped, though another wall had fallen, furthering her grasp on the Force. But a dam with larger walls meant little when there was no water left in the trench.

But still, she forced herself to her feet with painful argument from her body. Water dripped off the edges of broken rock and stone before her, as Exile scanned around the area. She found her lightsaber after just a few minutes and after bending down and brushing her rain-soaked hair out of her face, returned it to its spot on her belt. But as she was beginning to leave, Exile felt something tap against her foot. She looked down to find Kavar's lightsaber on the ground, poking out from under a piece of rubble. And after a short struggle, she wrestled the weapon free, though the severed hand remained to be unseen.

With nothing left to keep her there, Exile departed, hooking Kavar's hilt onto her belt beside all the others. It was then she noticed her belt was beginning to sag down to the right.

She found Visas and Atton at the camp, Visas sitting against rock with her legs crossed and Atton grabbing anything of value off the dozens of bodies around them, even clutching an armored breastplate in his mouth as he fished through pockets. As Exile grew closer, she knew her walk would reveal her exhaustion, but she didn't care.

"Is the Jedi dead?" Visas asked calmly, just loud enough to hear.

"Yes." Exile answered, pausing after reaching the Miraluka.

"Probably what that racket was about an hour ago." Atton commented with the plate still in his mouth.

Was she really under for that _long_? Exile progressed forward as Visas stood to her feet. Then heard Atton behind them gathering his findings.

"Is it over?"

Exile stopped and turned to the Miraluka. "No," She turned away. "There's still Atris."


	6. The Historian

Exile could see her breath in a thin mist in front of her face as she stepped away from the exit ramp of the _Hawk_. Heating systems should have booted up instantaneously after her ship entered, but apparently like the lights, it was off-line. Gritting her teeth together she moved on, trying to keep her body moving.

The academy she had discovered by accident a year ago to this day was now a ghost town. Where young woman dressed in modest white clothes trained and talked to one another in pleasant conversation, was now empty space. Everything electric was shut down, forcing Exile to rely on memory alone in some areas. But what got her the most, was the absolute quiet that had fallen over the place, her boots clanging against the metal floor and slow breathing being the only sound in the halls.

During the few days it took to get here, Exile had noticed large strands of grey in her long, dark raven hair. Even her skin seemed to be paling slightly. She came to the conclusion that it was from opening herself to the Dark Side so fully on numerous times, and decided that it would probably be best to refrain from using the tactic in further fights.

When she reached the council chamber, she paid extra attention while on the thin walk-ways, actually unhooking her lightsaber in her paranoia in case she needed its light.

The lights all around the rim of the chambers ceiling illuminated once she stepped through the entranceway, and forcing Exile squint her eyes for a few seconds to allow them to adjust. Around her, twelve seats sat in a large circle, looking almost like they were carved from marble. But judging by the layer of dust on them, they had not been used in a while, if anytime, in fact. And in the middle of them, was the center stone.

She approached it, gripping the cylinder in her hand tighter as she did. Reaching out, she slowly stroked her hand down the cold rock, passing over the long diagonal burn mark on its front. The memory of that day flashed through her mind: Ten years ago, after being told she was to be exiled, Kavar approached trying to sooth the wound. But she wouldn't have it. She activated her saber and slashed at him, only to hit the center stone behind him after he leapt clear of her blade. They disarmed her and began to inflict the curse on her.

Exile blinked the memory away, turning her head.

"The past hurts more for some then others, it seems." Exile looked past the stone and saw Atris on the other end of the room standing on the edge of a small set of stairs. Her white robes were untouched, as usual, with her hair in its normal tight-nit bun and a lightsaber in her hand.

"I myself can't enter this room without a little bit of that day slipping into my mind. The expression on your face, the hot anger we all sensed within you, and how you tried to cut down your teacher in cold blood." The older woman scanned Exile's body, and the former Jedi saw a quick flash of depression as she reached her belt, though quickly masked it. "But it seems you've succeeded." She commented stiffly.

Exile ignited the weapon in her hand with a _Snap-hiss_, a scarlet light reflecting softly off her suite. "Let me ask you," Atris interjected, not having activated her own lightsaber yet. "why did you come back?"

For years, Exile had wondered the very same thing. She had run through so many scenarios in her head during her travels, always ending with her throwing up her arms and screaming it didn't matter. After a pause, Atris sighed. "Very well."

The lightsaber in her hand flared to life, producing a brilliant blue blade. But just as Exile lowered herself into a fighting stance, Atris reached into the folds of her robes, pulling something out that she could not see. A turquoise blade ignited from it, and Exile's blood boiled.

Her old saber was sent flying at her before words could be spat, tossed low at her legs. Exile leapt up, missing her old blade to only find Atris coming at her in the air, saber raised. The former Jedi barely got her body twisted to avoid her, landing hard of the ground below as Atris cut through the center stone that was behind her, slicing off the top half at an angle.

On her stomach, Exile grabbed and threw the broken stone at her Atris. It slammed into her forehead, causing dark blood to fall down her face. Then getting to her feet, Exile reached out and grasped her old weapon in Atris's hand, tearing it from the older woman's grip and tossing it through one of the window's behind and into the yawning chasm below.

Looking back up wide-eyed, Atris threw a bubble of energy at her, knocking Exile only to her left slightly, but still used the distraction. Atris was gone, sprinting up the walkway to her chambers. Exile followed, keeping her strides short though even.

The door wasn't open, and after Atris fumbled with its controls, she turned and extended her free arm out. Violet sparks of lightning shot through her fingertips, arcing towards the former Jedi. But Exile simply reached out and caught the lightning with her gloved hand, absorbing the power through her own fingers and into her body.

Panic sunk into Atris, as she dived into her chamber a split-second after the doors parted. Exile grinned, and perused.

Atris stood in the middle of the small room, panting with her weapon arm dangling at her side, the blue blade still active. "I will not fall." She announced.

Exile shut down her saber and returned it to her belt. Then lashed out and grasped the woman with an intangible grip on her throat, lifting her off the ground and almost slamming her head into the roof. The brilliant blue blade winked out of existence as the weapon fell from her grasp, the hilt bouncing on the floor once before coming to a dead halt. Extending her free arm out Exile unleashed blue lightning from free her hand, pouring it into the older woman's stomach and invoking a terrible shriek that only broadened Exile's grin.

She forced herself to stop, clenching her hand and allowing Atris to gasp for much needed breath. I need to _savor_ this, Exile thought as she let loose a second burst, followed by a third, forth, fifth, and sixth, each with its own set of screams. Finally she ceased, her fingers tingling as she pulled her lightsaber from her belt and re-ignited the blade. Exile pulled the Jedi down toward her, digging the scarlet sword into Atris's chest. A gasp was let out as Atris released her last breaths.

"You failed," Exile whispered into the others ear just before deactivating her weapon and letting Atris fall, watching as she sprawled on the floor with a thumb-sized hole in her before stopping altogether seconds later. She shut down her saber and replaced it on her belt.

For a moment, Exile stood in silence, waiting. Then, it came. Waves of cold sensation passed through her head and threw her mind into disarray. Her arms spread out as her body was lifted from the floor, her hair flapping wildly about. Within her, it felt like a dam on the edge of bursting out. It was like this for minutes, but it soon ended, Exile falling to her hands and knees with sweat beading from her forehead, panting heavily. And smiling.

_Congratulations, Exile. You've treaded the galaxy for years, and at last that which was rightfully yours has been returned. _

Exile's eyes shot open. Kreia had gone missing just after her duel with Kavar on Dantooine, even slipping past both the droids undetected. She had decided that whatever Kreia was up to, it wasn't as important as her mission, so left. But if she was close enough for her to hear the old woman's voice. . .

"Show yourself, Kreia." Exile said, standing to her feet and ignoring the sweat that had fallen into her eyes and obscuring her vision as best she could.

_I am not there, Exile. I communicate to you through theses Holocrons_. Wiping her eyes, she could see in fact that the walls were lined with small pyramids, all giving off a kind of ruby glow.

"Then where are you?"

_It dose not matter. My presence is not needed for this_.

Exile's eyebrow rose up. "For _what_, exactly?"

_Only a question, Exile; Are you at peace?_

She was taken back. "What?" Exile asked, blinking.

_Now with your adversaries dead at your feet, the ones who caused you so much agony, are you finally at peace with yourself?_

Exile looked down at the body on the floor, and the images of all the others flashed through her brain. Then, like it was an afterthought bent down and scooped Atris's lightsaber in her hand, then stood. Her hand clenched into a tight fist, enough to make her knuckles white as she looked straight down at her feet and closed her eyes. "No," She admitted in a whisper. "And I don't think I can ever be." Her eyes shot open and a ghostly smile feel upon her lips.

"With my power restored, I may not have peace, but perhaps I can have a _challenge_." She looked up at the holocron's, scanning each one carefully. "I'm coming after you, Kreia," Exile called out. "you and the other Sith."

_So be it, Exile. If battle is what you believe will curb your hunger, then come. But be wary, for you cannot simply cut down a Lord of darkness, or shoot them with lightning, or even bring a building around their ears. You must be smart, cunning, and above all else, ruthless_.

"Don't worry," Exile mildly said as she hung Atris's lightsaber next to the others on her sagging belt. "I will be." She strode out of the chamber and only releasing an iota of her new power, shattered every holocron and brought the ceiling of the chamber down in a loud boom.


	7. The Hunger

The timing could not have been more perfect. Moments after departing from the hidden academy, a fleet of Sith Warships dropped out of hyperspace just beyond Telos's atmosphere, bound for the dying planet. After sending out a call out for immediate assistance from the Republic, the Telosian security force dispatched as many fighters as they could muster, though Exile could tell from just a simple glance through the cockpit viewport that it wasn't going to be enough. She used the ensuing chaos in space to board the largest ship of the fleet, identified on their console as the _Ravenger. _Exile spent hours running through the maze of halls cutting down troopers, with Visas Marr bringing up the rear. Despite arguments from both she and Atton, the Miraluka still insisted on coming, speaking out with such passion that not even Exile could ignore.

Drawing ever closer to the bridge, Exile was greeted with a couple of welcome faces after turning the corner: A group of Mandalorians, with Mandalore himself at the front. They decided since their objectives were basically the same, they might as well work together, a feeling Exile had long forgotten. It took them less then an hour to get all the proton cores set and active, which left only one thing to do.

The door to the _Ravenger's_ bridge slid open with a quiet _swoosh_, and Exile and crew went in, weapons in hand and ready to strike. The bridge was to simply put, a long room with large viewports scattered all about the walls, giving them a fantastic view of the battle being waged beyond. The floor broke into three separate walkways with people in the crevasses of them, lazily typing on a console in front of them with a gaunt look on their faces.

As they strode down the center walkway, Exile noticed Mandalore throwing glances down at the people, and gripping the handle of his rife tighter with each one.

She reached out to them. "They won't interfere." Exile summarized, never breaking stride and sensing his tension ebb somewhat.

The three stopped in unison upon reaching the end. His back was to them and by what she could tell, his arms were folded. They could all see a bit of his reflection in the dusty viewport he stared out of. He took noticed of them moments later, seeing them in the window and turning to face them. Nihilus stood almost two heads taller then any of them. And any part of his body was hidden behind the long, full dark robe and mask. If Exile looked close enough, she could see the outline of a pair of eyes inside the mask, though it was impossible to determine what species it belonged to.

_That one. . ._ Exile recalled Kreia saying after her first run-in with Kavar._ is an abomination. A mistake no one took responsibility for or bothered to correct, and now the galaxy is paying for it. His hunger is endless, and to an extent, so is his power. Nothing will keep him from what he desires most. Nothing_.

His head turned to Visas almost immediately. He pointed a long finger at her and said something short in an exotic language Exile couldn't begin to decipher. "Betrayed you?" The other woman asked, supposedly repeating his words. She shook her head. "No. I simply found another master." Visas gestured at Exile. "One with more strength then even you can't fathom."

Nihilus turned to Exile, and despite her cool, confident exterior, a cold shiver ran down her back. He raised an arm, but instead of just a finger, lightning shot out from his entire hand. Exile snapped her eyes shut and concentrated on the blast, condensing it down until it was thin enough to hit only the top of her chest. The glass-like mold absorbed the electricity into itself in seconds like a conductor.

She looked up and grinned. But after hear a cricking sound, Exile looked back down and saw the mold had a crack in its center. The crack quickly grew and expanded, separating into different paths and forming a spider-web pattern. It held for a moment before shattering, she watching helplessly as the tiny fragments fell to the floor.

The supposedly 'indestructible glass-like material' had just been destroyed with a single attack.

Exile looked back up slowly, and somehow she knew that behind that mask, whatever it was, he was smiling. She caught a glimpse of a wicked looking lightsaber hilt with a curve at its end before Nihilus was in the air, igniting the crimson blade and coming down on her. Her own scarlet blade came to life with a loud _Snap-hiss_, but it was too late.

Only Visas's timely intervention saved her from certain death. Though she doubted that that was the Miraluka's first thought when she let loose. Exile took a moment to observe the fight, and was astounded.

Visas fought with a hate, a burning anger that words could not describe. Her purple blade was a blur, striking at all fronts as she let out roar after roar. Mandalore was even helping with his repeater, but it was all for not. Nihilus was everywhere at once, blocking every attack and blaster bolt with a powerful grace. Clenching her teeth, Exile leapt, using the Force to extend her jump and land on the east walkway, just behind the Sith Lord.

It took a second, but once he was in range, she thrust the scarlet blade up and forward, poised for his head. But like her, he leapt up, landing on the edge of the west walkway. Leaving her, Mandalore, and heavily panting Visas. Exile could sense the Miraluka gathering her strength, but needed more time. Mandalore was already ahead of her, firing his rifle with such ferocity that his arms shook from the recoil alone. Exile joined in his assault with Force-Lightning, directing it straight at him with her free hand.

The shots reach him long before the lightning did. In a tremendous feat, Nihilus blocked every bolt his free hand alone, with no trace of the attack left behind except smoke on his glove. Then chucked his saber at her, the spinning blade absorbing the lightning and swinging around to her in less time then it took to blink. Exile threw up her saber in time to block the floating saber, just as it arced around and returned to its masters waiting hand.

Another bolt zinged past him, leaving a small burnt hole in the Sith Lord's cloak just under his arm. Nihilus hesitated for a moment before reaching out and slamming the Mandalorian into the steel floor, over, and over, and over again. Exile stopped him, but he was long gone.

She turned, and Nihilus leapt high, his image reflecting in the overhead viewport. Exile reached out to stop him, but was beaten to the punch by Visas. She slammed herself into her former master in mid-air like an angry pinball, knocking both of them off course and away for each other. Nihilus landed evenly back on the west walkway, now perfectly aligned with Exile, while Visas slammed into a hull panel inches from a large sheet of glass. But she never reached the ground. Exile whipped around and saw Nihilus extending an arm toward the Miraluka, taking her in his grasp and throwing her against the steel panel a dozen times in the span of three heartbeats. Then finally released her.

Which left Exile to deal with Nihilus. Gripping the hilt in her hand, she leapt at him.

The two collided in mid-air just over the center walkway, blades whirling until their feet touched ground. As they struck, blocked, stabbed and parried, Exile's Mandalorian training took over as she relied less and less on the Force to evade the Sith Lord's attacks. But even her finely tuned athletic body couldn't match Nihilus's speed.

The robed figure lashed out, throwing a small barrage of Lightning at her. And like hours before, Exile reached out and absorbed the blast with her hand, but this time her entire arm left was left numb for a moments span. Now, it was her turn. She hurled all the energy from Nihilus's attack and more right back at him, but the Sith Lord reached out and countered with his own. Energy gathered in-between them, and after Nihilus released his lightsaber but kept it aloft next to him, Exile followed in suite, now with both arms at her disposal. The power built as each poured everything they could muster into their attack.

Around them, the air began to swirl into itself, warping into a dome that encased them, but neither paid heed to it. That is, until they realized they were no longer on the _Ravenger_.

The only way to describe it was 'mesmerizing'. It was a white void, empty and endless. Their hovering sabers no longer hummed, or even threw off light. In fact, all Exile could hear was her slow breathes, and the muffled panting from Nihilus. She took that as a good sign. Sweat formed on her forehead as she grit her teeth together and furrowed her brow to try and hold the connection.

But to her surprise, Nihilus stepped back calmly and lowered his arms. After hesitating, she did too. The two stared at the other for who knows how long, while still their breathing was only thing heard. Finally, Nihilus spoke.

It all came out as deep, undertone growls, but Exile was astounded none the less. For she could understand him. For a moment, he paused, pointing at her before continuing. He clenched his hand in as he finished with a short grumble. Exile's gaze shifted down to her feet, as her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth like it did every time she was lost in thought. At last, she looked back up.

"You are no god," Exile said, her voice echoing into the distance. "you are not even a man. You're just a creature, too afraid of its own hunger to stand up to it. How dose it feel? Dose it gnaw at you like a parasite from within? Or is it simply there?" Exile got no response. She mentally sighed. "Very well, then. You want my power?" She raised her arms up high and inclined her head up. "Come and get it."

Nihilus unleashed scream just after the words were uttered, like a hungry animal's and threw himself at her. But Exile brought her arms together in a thunderous clap that released a large wave of dark energy, tearing through the Sith Lord's body until only a few shreds of dark cloth remained.

She stood there for a long moment, nearly gawking in disbelief as the pieces of cloth floated away into the void. Exile soon took notice of the lightsaber still hovering next to where the creature once stood. After grabbing her own, she called the other saber to her hand, shutting down both blades after it slapped into her palm.

Then, it all came crashing down on her.

Waves of indescribable pain surged through her, going from her feet to her head in seconds, with Exile unable to do anything but fall to her knees and grit her teeth together in an attempt to block out the pain. Around her the white void began to dissipate, fading away only to be replaced with a purple veil. And even that didn't last. The fog suddenly lashed out, and now Exile saw she was back on the Ravenger's bridge, passing through the hull and shattering every viewport around them.

The creases operator's were sucked out first, with few actually screaming before falling into the battle beyond. Mandalore and Visas were next, pulled out without a fight. And Exile would have been next, had she not thrown up a bubble around her. Utterly alone, with only a thin layer of energy prevented her from joining her allies' fates. And fatigue was setting in.

An engine's whine caused Exile to look up and see just beyond the ever-growing hole before her, was the Ebon Hawk. Its exit ramp lowered, revealing a suited up being holding onto the side, and she didn't need the Force to know it was Atton.

He reached out to her, gently pushing his way into the bubble without popping it and grasping her entire body. Then slowly began to pull her in, at a most . . . accusing angle. Around her, horrible battle was raged, narrowly avoiding passing fighters and lasers as large as she was, while Exile, the woman who'd taken down both a Jedi Master and a Sith Lord all in one day was being pulled to safety hind-end first.

At least Atton only grabbed her leg when she was close enough, letting her float back behind and bring the ramp back up. It took a moment for gravity and life support to kick back on, but still Exile held the bubble a moment before letting it go and falling back onto the cool floor. She glanced up and saw Atton already had his helmet off and comnlink in hand.

"Alright, tin can, get us out of here." He said into the device. Exile assumed it was T-3 on the other end. She was mildly shocked to hear HK-47's cold, metallic response.

"Aggravated Query: The battle is only _now_ getting exiting, apprentice meatbag. Why should we depart? Allow me to attend to the onboard turret, and teach these meatbags a final lesson in marksmanship before termination."

Atton clenched his teeth. "I don't care, droid," He growled. "Just get us going."

"Consenting Response: Oh, very well, meatbag." Under them, the ship rumbled, and minutes later, they went into hyperspace.

Exile was panting on the floor, her hair a mess and waiting for her energy to return to her. "Get over it." She heard a voice say, looking up to see Atton with a grin, then extend his hand to her. She reluctantly took it, though still had to cling heavily to the wall in order to move around.

"Plot a course for Malachor V," Exile hissed, making her way across the main area toward her quarters. "Take no detours, and divert power from the engines to the hyperdrive if you have too." She got to the doorway when Atton asked it.

"Where's Visas?"

Exile didn't look back. "She didn't make it." Something hit the deck, hard, and assumed it was Atton. She took a slow breath. "Get over it." Exile said, reaching her room and shutting the door behind her.


	8. The Pain

Exile strode through the halls of the Trayus Academy, a confidence like no other filling her strides. Just entering the system, you felt a surge in power. Entering the planet's weakened; almost poisoned atmosphere invoked an undying eagerness for battle. And walking on its surface made you felt _invincible_. This was much needed; as Atton had charged into Malachor head first, almost suicidal. Exile had barely jumped off ship before the Ebon Hawk fell into one of the many crevasses that covered the landscape. A couple of hours later, she found the academy.

The troopers, Sith and Dark Jedi she encountered stood no chance, no matter how many of them there were. Exile had lost her sense of time the minute she set foot in the structure. And the lack of a sun or moon prevented her from figuring it out on her own.

Using Kreia's presence as a beacon, Exile walked into the middle of a wide and turned to face a door, and knew the old woman would be on the other side.

But when a shiver a danger sense prickled down her spine, Exile did not hesitate to whip herself around and cast Force-lightning at its source. But nothing was there, only stone. Stone . . . and pillars.

She pulled her lightsaber from her belt. "Show yourself," Exile said, scanning the pillars and finding no additional shadows reflecting off the wall that would indicate a person. Until, that is, he walked out from behind one, a lightsaber in his hand.

"Sion." She hissed. He was just as she remembered from Korriban, rotting flesh and all, wearing only a pair of black trousers, boots, and a gauntlet on his right arm that almost reached his shoulder. His only real eye was like a dagger digging into her mind.

"Why have you come here?" Sion asked in his raspy, demonic voice. "You stand no chance."

"Well that's a matter of debate." Exile said with a grin. With a loud _Snap-Hiss_, her lightsaber came to life and she readied it at her side.

Sion did the same, raising his crimson blade and charging. He came down on her in a flurry, slashing and striking at her chest and head. Her Mandalorian training took over from there. He brought his blade down hard, stopping it with her own only centimeters from her nose. Then dropped down and slammed her foot into his shin, bringing the walking corpse down and leaping back and away from him. Then lowered herself into an attack stance.

He was already up and running back for round two. It was short lived. When he lashed out with a two-handed grip, Exile just back-stepped out of the way, then stepped forward and swung her blade forward, slicing through his arms just above the elbows.

The lightsaber still clutched in the hands shut down as the arms hit the floor, invoking a smile to form on Exile's lips.

But nothing from Sion. Not a cringe, not a flinch. He stood there emotionless, smoke still pouring from the ends of his arms.

Then, her unasked question was answered. The two severed arms rose up slowly, still gripping the lightsaber in hand. As Exile swallowed hard, one of the hands flipped the activator stud, igniting the crimson blade and hanging there in an unsaid challenge. She hesitated, and then charged.

But she couldn't get to Sion. No longer bound by the restrictions of a body, the arms whipped around in a hurricane of blows, backing Exile away from Sion and forcing her against one of the pillars behind them. The crimson blade pummeled against hers with enough force to get her to her knees and make her forehead wrinkle in concentration . . . or perhaps frustration

One of the hands released its hold on the hilt, allowing the remaining hand to move at a frightening speed. Like a windmill, it just kept coming back, consuming her attention and not seeing the other arm before it was too late. It was perfectly timed, the crimson blade whirling away just as the arm came in and plowed into her face. Exile was sure she heard something crack, though if it was him or her, she did not know.

That was like a feather brushing against her compared to the following attack. The weapon arm, now holding the saber in a reversed grip, dug the energy blades' tip into her shoulder, far enough to where she felt it almost breach through the other side. Gritting her teeth to keep herself from screaming, Exile threw her saber up and knocked the other away, then with two quick swings, sliced the two arms down the middle and pushed them away.

Gathering her strength, Exile tossed her saber forward toward Sion. The Sith Lord jumped, but was a second too slow. Her scarlet lightsaber cut through his legs, cleaving them off just under the knee.

Again, there was no response. Sion caught himself in mid-air, his torso hovering a little over a meter from his legs as he propped them back up. "You cannot stop me," Sion said plainly. "my pain is what binds me, and my pain is limitless."

We'll find out, won't we? Drawing from her own pain, Exile mentally guided her lightsaber around a pillar and back around to Sion. He didn't so much as twitch when the scarlet blade burned through his neck. The saber was returning to her waiting hand when one of the fists came at her, breaking her connection and causing the weapon to shut down mid-way and drop to the floor with a dead _thud_.

Allowing the pain to subside, she looked up to find Sion's head hovering a centimeter from the cut off point. The decapitated head inclined upward a little toward her, and his face still emotionless.

"You will not stop me." The legs, torso, and arms began to close in all around her, leaving the head behind and the crimson lightsaber re-igniting. "Goodbye, Exile."

"No!" Exile spat out. She reached out and grasped each limb with her mind, throwing them back to Sion and holding them together in her grip.

He tried to squirm out of it, of course. But with the combination of the searing pain in her right shoulder and the unbridled fear from all that had happened in the past few minutes, he had no chance. Bones slowly began cracking under the pressure.

"Do you know what you are, Sion?" Exile asked gravely as she stumbled to her feet, keeping her good arm outstretched. He made another attempt to escape, and she had to increase her grip to stop him. "An _insect_. A creature that just doesn't know when to it's time to lie down and die. Well, it's time you were crushed beneath my heel."

Setting her teeth, Exile began slowly clenching her hand, hearing Sion's screams from under the limbs. It was like trying to shut a rusted door, but slowly but surely, the corpse-like body crumpled closer and closer. Her brow moistened with sweat. And with a final push, she grinded Sion's body and limbs until only dust remained.

Exile sighed audibly, slumping back against the pillar and sliding to the floor. Her throat was dry from the stale air, and her windpipe burned in her neck. But eventually Exile gathered her strength and stood, making her way to the pile on the floor. Shifting through the dust, trousers and boots, she found his lightsaber at the bottom of it all, right next to his artificial eye.

Clipping it next to the others, Exile limped across the room toward the door, holding her injured arm at the wound. She paused to grab her lightsaber off the ground but didn't bother to put it back on her belt, and proceeded to the door.


	9. The Mentor

Exile passed through the stone doorway, and she paused at the sight. The walls were like the walkway she stood on, a deep depressing rock-like brown. Faint green light bounced off the same walls that let every pant of hers become clearly audible, like a cave. She peered over the edge and saw the lake of viridian goo at the distant bottom of the core, and watched as bubbles from to its surface and popped a second later. It was then she decided not to look back down.

She proceeded down the walkway, still clutching her lightsaber and trying to not think of the searing pain in her right shoulder. The structure in front of her was a colossus, standing what she guessed was three stories high with large pillars, carved like a creature's fang. And at its core, was Kreia.

Her arm dangled at her side, waving almost uselessly. Exile had tried to pour the Force into her arm, just trying to feel _anything_, but was getting little response.

"It's like loosing apart of you, isn't it?" Kreia asked grimly, her back still to Exile. "Though I suspect your loss will not be as permanent as mine was."

Only when Exile reached the foot of the structure did Kreia turn. She had replaced her dirt-brown robes with black ones, even her eyes had changed. Her expression was stern, and the former Jedi saw a lightsaber hanging from the sash that operated as a belt. But where she got it from, Exile could only begin to image. Not from her, surely.

"And so we have arrived, just as I foresaw when this journey began. But now only the outcome remains in question."

"Not in my mind, Kreia." Exile said with a slight grin.

"But in your mind, you're invincible." Kreia countered, and then gestured at her arm. "You must to open your eyes and realize you are not a god, but mortal. A being that can and dose fall prey to the simplest of mistakes and horrible wounds, time and time again." She raised her arm to Exile. "So perhaps a final lesson is in order."

No sooner did the words leave her mouth did blue lightning erupt from her fingertips. Normally, Exile would have just absorbed it, but with her only working hand occupied at the moment, all she could do was throw her arm up and guard her face before the lightning slammed into her. The suite took most of it, but she couldn't help but cringe from the few sparks that broke through. She lowered her arm to find Kreia in the air, a ruby-white lightsaber in hand and coming toward her.

Exile got her own saber activated and up in time to block. But once Kreia's feet touched ground, they were off again, this time driving a knee into her student's chest, followed by a quick Force-assisted push that sent Exile over tumbling the edge.

Wind blew her hair wildly about, but it didn't register in her mind. Working quickly, she threw herself at the rock and called on the Force to stick herself to it. She paused, taking in a breath of ozone-filled air before launching herself up and landing, this time behind Kreia.

The woman jumped back, bearing her weapon and putting herself out of range. "Can't you do better, Kreia?" Exile asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. With a _Snap-hiss_, her blade was out again.

Then, she charged.

Scarlet met with ruby as the two women lashed out at the other. With both employing the one-handed grip style, their strikes were mostly quick with both frontal and back-hand, but still lethal. Exile threw her foot up and slammed it into the side of Kreia's temple, distracting the older woman for a fraction of a second. But it was enough. Exile slashed her blade in a downward horizontal arc that cleaved through Kreia's remaining hand; slicing it neatly at the wrist and having it land at their feet just as the lightsaber it still clutched shut down.

There was a soft scream, followed by Kreia's leaping backward and landing in the center of the structure, panting heavily with her now two handless arms at her sides, useless. Sweat fell from her wrinkled brow.

"It is time to end this." Kreia hissed, raising her arms. Exile looked up and found three lightsabers floating down from the tops of the three pillars, purple blades jumping out from each and stopping just above the woman.

Exile smirked. "Yes, Kreia, it is time." She shut down her lightsaber and dropped it. Then, brushing her cloak fully open, she raised her arms, even getting the wounded one up halfway from the other, but could do nothing about the shaking.

The seven lightsaber hilts at her waist flew from the belt, igniting all at once over her head and covering her in a rainbow of crimson, violet, silver, blue, and emerald. The heavy waves of humming drowned out all other sound.

"At last," Kreia breathed. "you learn." Even though it was futile, she sent the three sabers soaring. It was a quick battle, and of the seven, only one of Exile's was caught in the cross-fire. The rest of them soared in the air and skewered through Kreia, stabbing through and removing limbs, but nothing vital. The final blow would be _hers_.

Calling her saber back, she ignited it with a _Snap-hiss_ and threw herself at her, plunging the scarlet blade into Kreia's heart.

The woman's breathes came in small, quick spurts as she looked up into Exile's eyes. "You have finally done it." Kreia said, her voice a whimper. A faint smile touched her lips. "You are complete."

Exile didn't blink. "Goodbye, Kreia." She pulled the blade out and reached out with the Force, throwing Kreia's weak body over the edge and into the abyss below. Exile swore she could hear laughter echo off the walls.

And she was alone. Shutting down her weapon, she glanced around at the variety of lightsabers' scattered across the ground, some less then intact. For a moment, she simply stood and stared at nothing, until a cold shiver prickled down her spine and she snapped to attention, reactivating her weapon.

Before her, the air was disrupting, shifting and churning until a man dressed in a full black suite wearing a strange mask and armed with a shock-staff appeared. Exile back stepped, unsure what the assassin would do. But stopped when a second one appeared behind her, then another . . . and another . . . and _another. _Less then a minute later, she was surrounded by dozens of them.

There were only a few steps worth of space, and with only a single rock bridge currently occupied by assassin's being the only way out, Exile calculated that her chances of making it to that door were slim. The first one to appear approached her, but instead of an attack, he dropped his staff, fell to one knee, using his arm to brace himself and bowed his head.

Raising an eyebrow, she looked around wryly and found all of them doing it, one-by-one until all were kneeling to her. They began uttering some high-pitched squeal in rhythmic chanting, but stopped mid-squeal when Exile raised a hand. Finally, she closed down her lightsaber and slowly clipped it to her belt. Her mind free of the strain of battle, a question came into her brain and wouldn't leave: What next? Looking up at the small gap at the end of the tunnel above, she answered her own question with a grin.

"The galaxy."

**END. **


End file.
